


Perturbed

by unsaidesires



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Angst and Fluff, Comedy, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One-Sided Relationship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-04-01 09:15:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4014169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unsaidesires/pseuds/unsaidesires
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kagami met a girl and unexpectedly fell in love. Desperate, he asks for advice from the people around him. What he did not know was that someone else was in love with him in the meanwhile. And that he was hurting him without a single shred of knowledge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter is a little dry, but please bear with me!

"Classes are dismissed!" As soon as the teacher said that, students got on their feet and ran to the canteen like there was an apocalypse happening while Kagami turned his chair around to face Kuroko who was dozing off, thinking of asking him a question. He still found it annoying that Kuroko could sleep in class without getting caught because of his annoying misdirection.

"Kuroko... Oi, Kuroko!" He nudged him. "Ah?" He peeled open an eye.

"Classes are over, dammit!"

"Ah, is that so? Sorry," He got up and started to pack his things. Kagami held onto his question, leaving it to linger at the tip of his tongue.

"Let's go eat lunch, Kagami-kun," it was Kuroko's turn to nudge Kagami who was in a daze. "O-Okay."

After they sat down at an empty table and started to eat their lunch, Kuroko stared at Kagami in silence. Kagami sensed his gaze on him and looked up, "What is it?" Kuroko was silent for a while and then continued eating. "Hey, don't ignore me!" Kagami said. Kuroko swallowed and replied, "Kagami-kun, you're acting weird today. Did something happen?" Kagami went silent this time and Kuroko knew he was spot on. Nothing can escape Kuroko when it comes to Kagami.

Kagami let out a sigh and set down his cutlery and somewhat awkwardly looked at Kuroko in the eyes. "K-Kuroko..." Kuroko anticipated. "I need some advice." Kuroko asked with the same poker face, "What advice?"

Kagami could not maintain eye contact any longer and looked down and started to poke and nudge at his food. Kuroko was patient, though.

"Advice o-on l-l-love..." As Kagami's voice trailed away into the noise, Kuroko nearly dropped his spoon. Kuroko smiled a little while noticing a little blush reach Kagami's cheeks. "Why?" Kagami froze, as if he had not expected the question to come so soon. "Sorry but... I-Is it okay to tell you later?" Kagami frantically continued to scoop rice into his mouth.

* * *

On the way home, Kuroko did not ask Kagami anything and decided to leave it to him to tell him himself. They walked in silence for about fifty meters when Kagami finally opened his mouth and said, "It's about a girl..." Kuroko looked up at him, cuing him to continue. "Well, I-"

"Don't be shy, Kagami-kun," Kuroko interrupted, clearly reading his thoughts, and stared deep into Kagami's dark scarlet eyes. Goosebumps appeared all over on Kagami's body as he looked away. "A-Anyway, I met this girl the other day while playing basketball... She was on the other half of the court and when my ball rolled over by accident, she picked it u-" Kuroko interrupted, "Go straight to the point."

"Okay, fine!" Kagami cleared his throat and continued, "When she turned around, I-I thought I saw an _angel._ She was so beautiful! What's more, she's good at basketball. We even played one-on-one and ate at Maji Burger after that! And she... she also has a big appetite like me..." Kagami's blushing was almost at full throttle when he talked about her, especially at the big appetite part, which he never admitted that he had one before.

Kuroko maintained his usual poker face, but almost chuckled at Kagami rattling on and on about the girl. "What's her name?" Kagami hesitated for a while and replied, "Tanaka Tsuruko." Kuroko was about to say something but Kagami cut in, "I-It's a nice name, isn't it? I think so, too!" Kagami laughed shyly and Kuroko smiled along with him. It was the first time he had seen Kagami behaving like this.

Somewhat _lovesick._

"Then what else do you know about her?"

"Apparently, she isn't in a basketball club or team or anything. She said playing basketball is just her hobby and would go down to the nearby basketball court three times a week to play on her own," Kagami paused. "But she's pretty good at it."

Silence.

"A-Anyway, this isn't what I wanted to ask you!" Kagami sighed once more and finally released the question which was being held captive, "V-Valentine's day coming up right?" He did not wait for Kuroko to reply and just continued, "I-I want to buy something for her... and, and make her some chocolates!" He stuttered and blushed even more.

"Basically, the main point is, I need your help in finding the right gift and making chocolates!" Kagami blurted out, concluding the entire conversation they had until now.

_It's about time_ , Kuroko thought. _He took such a long time to get to the real main point._

"Ano... Why did you come to me first?"

"Eh... Well, I just thought you were good with girls, that's all."

Silence.

"I see." Then there was silence again.

"So..." Kagami broke it after a few minutes of walking. "Will you help me?"

"Of course."

Kagami flashed a smile and threw an arm around Kuroko, nearly bringing him to his knees and said, "I knew I could count on you, Kuroko!"

* * *

"First things first, Valentine's Day is about a week away, so there's enough time to teach you everything," Kuroko had as if switched on his professional mode and lectured Kagami. Kagami was a diligent student and listened well.

"Let's go get the gift first, since it'll take a longer time." Kagami nodded enthusiastically.

After they left their bags at Kagami's place, they set off to the mall.

They went from gift shop to gift shop and even shops selling dresses and skirts. "Kagami-kun, what kind of dresses does she like?"

"I... I'm not sure... I'm sorry," Kagami lowered his head. "It's okay, we can still buy other things for her," Kuroko assured him and led him to the gift shop next door.

"Hm... What would be a suitable gift for a girl, Kuroko?" Kagami asked, looking around. However, there was no reply. "Eh?"

_Damn, I lost him! Argh... Where did that misdirection guy go to?!_ Kagami scanned the shop.

His eyes eventually settled on a light blue-haired man near the counter and he rushed over. Upon noticing him talking to someone else, he slowed down and looked closely. Squinting, he found out that it was Momoi.

"Ah! Kagamin!"She waved.

_Kagamin..._ Kagami still felt awkward with the nickname. "Hello, Momoi-san. Why are you here today?"

"I came out to eat lunch with Dai-chan!" She was energetic as usual with Kuroko.

"Dai-chan? Aomine? Where did that guy go then?" He looked around.

"Ah, he's here."

"Eh... If it isn't Kagami," Aomine spoke with the usual unsurprised tone. Kagami whipped around to see Aomine clad in a dark blue jacket, corresponding to the color of his hair.

"Anyway, why are you two here?" Aomine asked the Seirin duo. Kagami froze and looked at Kuroko who looked up at him with questioning eyes.

_Why are you looking at me like that?_ Kuroko's eyes seemed to ask.

Kagami sighed and replied shyly, "We're looking for a gift…"

Momoi did not allow him to simply stop there, "For who?"

Kuroko suddenly tugged at Kagami's sleeve and tip-toed to whisper into his ear, "Kagami-kun, maybe we can ask Momoi-san for advice."

"Ah, that's true, she _is_ a girl after all," he whispered back but when he looked at Aomine, he knew he could not do it.

He bent down and whispered to Kuroko again, "But Aomi-"

"It's _fine_."

Kagami stared at Kuroko's so-called innocent aqua blue eyes for a second or two and gave in. He sighed once more and asked, "M-Momoi-san, erm… Do you know something that a girl will definitely like?"

"That depends on the girl," she simply said.

"I-Is that so…"

Aomine chuckled and stepped into the conversation, "So what kind of girl is she? The one you like."

" _A-Aho_ mine, shut up!" Kagami looked away with a hint of a blush forming on his cheeks. "Well," he started to describe Tsuruko anyway to the best of his ability, trying his best not to go on for too long. Aomine interrupted twice asking whether she was big-breasted or not.

"Well," Momoi thought for a while, looking around in the cramped gift shop. "Ah! This would do!" She held up a keychain with a miniature burger attached to it.

For a minute or two, the boys except Kuroko stared at her with a look clearly saying, "Are you sure you know what you're holding onto?"

"Why a burger?" Kagami asked. "Why a keychain?" Aomine asked. "Why?" Kuroko asked.

Momoi backed away a little from the questions being shot at her all at once, then explained, "You see, Kagamin, Tsuruko-chan has a big appetite right? And you also said that she likes to eat burgers just like you, right?"

Kagami processed Momoi's words in his head like a washing machine, nodding slowly. "Girls like guys who put in effort, even if it's a little. However, not all girls are like that, so you'll have to be careful," Momoi lectured Kagami, handing over the burger keychain. "But for Tsuruko-chan, I think this will do. Small gifts at this stage will increase her affection points."

_Momoi-san's an expert…!_ Kagami thought.

"Since it's the first Valentine's Day gift you'll give her, it's best to give a small and simple gift. Besides," Momoi chuckled. "This is kinda cute too, isn't it? Plus, you like burgers too, and whenever she sees this keychain, she'll think of you. Isn't that great?"

"Woahh…" Kagami gasped at Momoi's lecture. It was brilliant to him and he felt like he could take on the world.

"I-I'll go pay!" He went over to the counter.

Before they went separate ways, Aomine pulled Kagami to a corner and told him to get a picture of her. Consequently, he nearly got kicked in the shin.

"Now for the chocolates, Kuroko!" Kagami dragged Kuroko along and Kuroko hummed in response.

* * *

"Hm… These should be all the ingredients needed," Kuroko said as he counted the items off his fingers.

"I didn't know so many ingredients were needed…" Kagami looked into the basket in awe.

Kuroko ignored him and headed towards the counter while Kagami tagged along, "You'll have to pay, Kagami-kun." Kagami hesitated then fished out his wallet.

"Is there anything left, Kuroko? I feel like something's still missing."

"A mold. Do you have a mould at home, Kagami-kun?"

Kagami furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "A mold?"

Kuroko explained to him, "It's something that forms the shape of food, like moulds for ice cubes."

"I see. Well, I don't think I have one."

"Then let's go get it. It's sold out here." Kagami went along with him, allowing him to take the lead.

As they walked along, it was getting more and more crowded. "Kuroko, hold onto me," Kagami reached out.

"Eh?" Kuroko's voice was almost drowned out by the noise. Kagami did not bother to repeat and just grabbed his hand and pulled him close.

"Here, let me hold onto the groceries," he took the groceries from Kuroko who was getting shoved and banged into by the people around him. "You're too small to be seen, especially when you have such a weak presence. Stay beside me and don't let go."

Just like that, side by side, hand in hand, they broke away from the merciless crowd and into a baking shop.

Kagami took a deep breath of the fresh air and let go of Kuroko's hand. He noticed that Kuroko was swaying from right to left, paler than he originally was. "Eeehh?! K-Kuroko! Are you okay?"

"Hah… Sorry, Kagami-kun… There wasn't enough oxygen just now…" He panted a little and his face started turning red.

"Get a hold of yourself!" Kagami held onto Kuroko, afraid of letting him fall.

"I'm fine now, Kagami-kun. Thank you."

Kagami heaved a sigh of relief and shook his head. _Man, you're always worrying others._

* * *

When they had finally reached Kagami's house, it was around evening and Kuroko had called his mother about staying over at his house.

"Now let's get down to business!" Kagami took out the ingredients from the plastic bag and placed them neatly on the counter near the sink.

Kuroko went over to the sink to washed his face. "What's wrong? Tired? Come on, it's time to get serious!" Kagami told him. Kuroko, on the other hand, wiped off the water using his sleeves quietly.

Kagami gave him a determined look and slapped his cheeks gently. "Ow…" Kagami laughed and went all energetic.

Having took off their blazers and jackets, they started on the chocolates.

Kuroko stood by Kagami's side while Kagami followed his instructions carefully. Every now and then, Kuroko would jump in and do a short demonstration, making sure that it was the right method.

"Lower the fire, Kagami-kun."

"Don't forget to add a pinch of salt."

"No, let it cool first before pouring it in."

"No, not ye-"

"Ouch!" Kagami withdrew his hand instantly. "Now you've burnt yourself," Kuroko deadpanned in a slightly annoyed tone which isn't usually heard.

While Kagami rinsed his finger under the cold tap water, Kuroko said, "You're an idiot, Kagami-kun."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry…"

"Here, do you need a plaster?" Kuroko managed to find a small first-aid kit in Kagami's room. "Yes, thanks."

"You need to be more careful next time, if not, you're going to burn yourself again, got it?" He nagged.

Kagami gave in and nodded.

"Anyway, I'll go pour the chocolate into the mold for you."

Kuroko pulled the heart-shaped mold closer and poured in the chocolate slowly, filling up every heart.

Kagami watched him pour and realized how focused he was, even though it was not his own chocolates. But then all the more he should be…, Kagami thought.

"There, all done," Kuroko said, as he set down the bowl and spoon into the sink. "You can go and put it into the freezer now, Kagami-kun."

"Ah, yes!" He went over and did as he was told.

* * *

"Thank you so much, Kuroko! You really helped me!" Kagami exclaimed over dinner.

Of course, he had to cook the dinner, since he could not allow the guest to cook.

"You're welcome, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said after he swallowed a mouthful of vegetable and rice. "Your dishes are really tasty."

Kagami laughed and gave him more of his signature dish, his mushroom and salmon cheese omelet, "Of course! Here, have some more."

Kuroko mumbled a thank you and pushed more rice into his mouth. He was more than just famished, having walked all around the place with Kagami.

"Sorry, Kuroko, for making you follow and help me so much today. And erm, for, for making you worry," Kagami dug his head into his food, trying to hide the awkwardness.

"It's nothing. You're my friend anyway," when Kuroko said that, he felt something stir inside him. _Why?_

"You're really a lifesaver! I owe you one!" Kuroko smiled and continued to eat.

* * *

"Ah! That was delicious!" Kagami praised himself, making the blue-haired boy beside him on the couch smile at him.

Kagami switched on the television and started to watch a basketball match with Kuroko. Kuroko did not protest and watched it in silence.

By the fourth quarter, Kuroko had his head slumped over on Kagami's shoulder and was sleeping soundly. Kagami's arm was lying lazily on the couch around Kuroko anyway and he gladly accepted the fact that he will not move his arm at any cost.

Besides, Kuroko helped him a lot today and he wanted to repay him as much as possible.

Unknowingly, Kagami started to doze off too. However, he remembered he needed to get Kuroko to bed, if not, he would get all sore.

He looked down at Kuroko who was snoring ever so softly. He calculated that his neck would fall just right on his arm and decided to do it.

After he switched off the television, he slowly reached down, careful not to move his left arm, and wrapped his other arm under Kuroko's knees. He then lifted him up gradually.

_He's as light as a feather!_ Kagami nearly let out a gasp. _Man, does this guy even eat?_

He placed him down onto his bed and adjusted his legs to make him comfortable.

_Guess I'll have to sleep in the living room today_ , Kagami thought as he walked away towards the living room.

"Kagami-kun…" He heard a gentle sleepy voice, _like an angel's_ , call out to him from behind him and turned around. "What's wrong, Kuroko?"

"You don't have to sleep in the living room, there's space for two here," he tried to elbow himself up but he clearly had no strength. Kagami felt a pang of guilt hit him.

"No, it's fine, you can sleep on the bed," Kagami turn to leave once more but Kuroko called out to him again.

"The floor's hard and cold and the couch is obviously too small for you."

Kagami stopped in his tracks and thought, _this guy really has a way of convincing people._

He turned around to face Kuroko who already had a really bad bed hair and sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll sleep with you, alright?" Hearing his words, Kuroko moved over nearer to the wall and fell back asleep again.

Kagami switched off the lights outside and closed the door behind him, making his way to Kuroko in the dark. He didn't have an extra pillow, so he made a mental note that he should get one soon. Lying down on the same pillow as Kuroko, he subconsciously turned over to him as he somewhat dislike sleeping on his right side.

_He's so close_ , Kagami thought, but did not take any action.

However, as the minutes ticked passed, Kagami could not enter dreamland. His eyes started to wander around Kuroko's body, trying to kill some time.

_Such a small frame… How did he even survive playing basketball in middle school? His arms, even, thin as a bamboo. I should get him to come to the gym with me someday._

After a few minutes, Kagami's eyes were still wide open and he grew frustrated. He wanted to turn and toss around but had to endure it. He took a deep breath and exhaled, successfully calming himself.

When Kagami breathed in again, he took in a new smell.

It smelled… Sweet, like vanilla. He looked at Kuroko and it hit him. _It's definitely him, this vanilla-shake-guy_ , he thought.

_Ah, but the smell is… Kinda… Hypnotic… Warm, too…_

Quickly, he fell asleep and he thanked Kuroko from the bottom of his heart, if not, he would have eye bags soon.

 


	2. Chapter 2

"Mnn..." Sleepy sounds left Kagami's lips as he dreamed about playing one-on-one with Tsuruko at the same basketball court when he fell off the bed with a loud thud. "Ah... Ouch..." He rubbed his back as he got up, completely awake now.

As he opened the door, yawning, he banged into something. "Huh?" He looked down and saw Kuroko, half-awake and dazed. For a moment or two, neither said anything and just stared at each other. Kagami then remembered he invited Kuroko over to help him with his Valentine's Day present. "Ah, K-Kuroko, sorry, I didn't see you there," Kagami apologized.

"I find that quite offensive, Kagami-kun," Kuroko teased. Kagami "hmph"ed a little and went to do his morning routine.

There was no lessons that day and they were pretty much free without any homework. After Kagami finished brushing his teeth, he went to the living room to find Kuroko taking out the chocolates from the freezer. "Let's have a taste," Kuroko told him.

"More importantly, Kuroko," Kagami walked closer. "Do you need a shower? And your bed hair is ridiculously bad, go and comb it or something."

Kuroko, setting down the chocolates onto the counter beside the sink, replied, "It's fine, I don't have extra clothes anyway."

"I can lend you mine," Kagami persuaded, but then added, "Hm, how about this : Tanaka-san invited me out to play basketball today - sorry I didn't tell you earlier - so how about you join us? Then after that you can just go home and bathe."

"But I would be like an intruder."

Kagami waved the comment off and told him that it was fine, he was sure that Tsuruko would not mind. In the end, Kuroko agreed.

"Anyway, let's taste the chocolates first," Kagami stood beside Kuroko as Kuroko knocked one chocolate out of the mold onto a small plate.

"Wah… It's shaped perfectly like a heart!" Kagami exclaimed. Even Kuroko's eyes showed some form of jubilance. Kagami took it and broke it into half, giving one half to Kuroko.

Both of them ate it and Kagami was on the verge of tears as the sweet substance exploded in his mouth, "It's so delicious! Damn, Kuroko, you're good at this!" Kuroko blushed a little upon hearing the compliment and nodded in agreement.

There were five remaining and Kagami decided to make another batch before Valentine's Day itself so it would be fresher.

"Then I'll leave it to you to finish the rest, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said as he put the chocolates into a container before he leaves it in the fridge.

"Haha, leave it to me!"

"Now let's go play basketball!" Kagami got into his basketball shoes and took his basketball under his arm. "Ah… I don't have basketball shoes…" Kuroko suddenly said, a little disappointed.

"Eh? I'm sorry, Kuroko. It's my fault…"

Upon noticing the sincerity in his voice, Kuroko got into his school shoes and said, "It's okay. Let's go, Kagami-kun."

Kagami still felt guilty, he could see real disappointment on Kuroko's face. They are really close and could easily read each other, and this was a first for Kagami : seeing Kuroko disappointed and sad.

However, Kagami told himself that he would definitely repay the debt as soon as possible and everything would be fine after that. At least, he hoped so, because the atmosphere this time was thicker than usual.

* * *

"Ah, Tanaka-san!" Kagami could not resist calling after her as they entered the court. She was playing basketball on one half of the court, while the other half was taken up by…

_The Generation of Miracles?!_ Kagami and Kuroko nearly blurted out.

The whole team was literally there, even Momoi.

Kise was the first one to notice the duo, "Eeehh~ if it isn't the Seirin combo! Yo, Kurokocchi!"

"Ehhh?! Ah- Wai- What?!" Kagami was at a loss, looking back and forth at the two halves of the courts. "M-Momoi-san, d-don't tell me you actually…"

Momoi simply gave an innocent smiling face to Kagami then looked back at the bunch of monsters competing, who were also completely ignoring Kagami, except for Kise.

Kagami felt like banging his head against the wall.

Kuroko tugged at Kagami's sleeve, and said, "Good luck, Kagami-kun. Oh and, if you want, I can go and join them." He pointed to his ex-teammates.

Kagami thought deeply, contemplating and considering. _If he goes over, I can have some personal time with Tanaka-san… But… It would be kinda rude, won't it? Ahh… What should I do?!_

"It's fine if you can't decide, Kagami-kun," Kuroko assured him upon noticing the cold sweat dripping down Kagami's forehead. "I can just go over and play with them. Besides, they're odd-numbered."

But you've already did so many things for me, I can't possibly just leave you in a lurch with those monsters of yours! Kagami wanted to say.

This was literally a fierce battle between friendship and love.

Tsuruko noticed Kagami, and decided to continue playing on her own to wait for him, but Kagami did not want her to wait too long. He at least wanted to be more of a gentleman, especially in front of someone he admires.

"Well then, Kagami-kun, I'll be going now. See you later," Kuroko left before Kagami could even get a hold of him.

_Aaahhh… Kurokooo! I promise this will be the last time!_

Kagami clutched the ball hard and forced himself to clear his mind. He could not let this affect him too much.

He let out a little battle cry in his head and went over to Tsuruko who greeted him with an angelic smile which melted his heart.

They played one-on-one until lunchtime and Kagami could not be happier. Tsuruko was great at handling the ball and loved to crack jokes every now and then, causing Kagami to crack up and lose the ball. Kagami got psyched up because of that and decided to play a little more seriously.

One thing that Kagami really loved about Tsuruko was not her looks or whatsoever. It was the fact that despite her being exhausted and worn out, despite her losing the ball and not getting the rebound, she was always smiling.

And that smile of hers could light up the streets at night.

She was not hot-headed like Kagami, even Kagami had to admit that, and was very optimistic about everything. That fact itself was what made Kagami fell in love with her.

By lunchtime, both sides of the court were all worn out and decided to have lunch at the nearby Maji Burger.

Tsuruko and Kagami sat together at a table while the Generation of Miracles had to join two tables together and sit somewhere else. Well, the main reason was because they were curious and wanted to eavesdrop on Tsuruko and Kagami.

Kuroko, on the other hand, realized that Tsuruko's long hair was not black but instead coffee brown upon a closer look. Kuroko had to admit : Tsuruko was really pretty and was just a bit shorter than Kagami, which is really suitable for a guy like Kagami.

The rest of the Generation of Miracles members were all staring at Tsuruko and Kagami in silence, watching them talk and laugh together, amazed by the fact that Kagami could actually hold a proper and normal conversation with a girl.

Aomine was the first to burst out laughing, "Hey, Tetsu, when did he become such a gentleman? Ahaha, oh god my sides hurt!"

"I believe it was a couple of days ago when he met her while playing basketball. It was love at first sight," Kuroko replied monotonously and Aomine could not help laughing even harder.

Midorima piped in, "Such a fool. Love is still unnecessary at this stage in life." Kise chuckled at his comment and said his own, "Well, the girl's pretty though. I wonder if she's a model or something?"

Momoi sat close to Kuroko, beside Kise, and noticed something, "Tetsu-kun, what's wrong? You seem a little down…"

"Oh, it's nothing, Momoi-san," he replied quickly.

Momoi was worried but decided to let it go for now.

Meanwhile, on Kagami's end, he had just brought the topic of Valentine's Day to light, "Well, uh, next week is Valentine's Day right? I was just wondering if you're going to be free… Maybe we can go out and have lunch or something?"

By the looks of it, it was pretty obvious Kagami was struggling to string his words together. He had never asked a girl out before, let alone fall head over heels in love with one.

Of course, Kagami did not want to just "have lunch" next week, he wanted to do more things with her, to spend more time with her. However, he panicked a little and just made up something at the spur of the moment.

After he said that, he could have sworn he felt Kise facepalming to himself behind him, saying, _Idiot! You could at least come up with a better plan!_

"Yes, I'll be free next week, but only until noon," she replied with a smile.

It was real difficult talking to someone you like, and even more difficult trying to keep your cool.

Kagami heaved a sigh of relief and asked her, "Then… Let's go somewhere on that day, just the two of us. Is that okay with you?" Of course, once again, Kagami did not know where "somewhere" is and would probably just text her or something when he decides later on.

Tsuruko agreed without hesitation and all was set.

Back to the Generation of Miracles' table, Akashi had just came back to the table with food and Murasakibara dug in first.

"Ah, Tetsu-kun, do you know how old is she?" Momoi suddenly asked Kuroko. Kuroko then remembered he had not ask Kagami that and shook his head. Then another thought came floating into his head, _Does Kagami-kun even know?_

Akashi, who had kept quiet for quite some time, suddenly spoke up, "I've seen that girl before." The other members turned to look at him, surprised and waiting for him to continue.

"I came here to play often, during the weekends, and she's always there playing too," Akashi said. "But I've never talked to her before."

Once he said that, everyone went like, "Oh it's actually nothing much" and went back to their food while Kuroko drank his favorite vanilla shake.

"Tetsuya."

Kuroko turned to face his former captain, "Yes?"

Akashi paused for a while then asked, "Are you okay?"

Kuroko did not say anything at first, but then nodded in silence.

"If anything happens, don't be rash."

Kuroko, including everyone else could not figure out why Akashi had said that, even after he had to leave early to do homework at home.

On the other side, Tsuruko had also just left and Kagami came walking over with a _huge_ smile on his face.

"So how is it, Kagami-kun?" Kuroko asked, slurping his vanilla shake. Kagami sat down at where Akashi had sat and replied enthusiastically, "I managed to get a date with her next week on Valentine's Day!"

"Ehh~ Not bad, Kagamicchi!"

"Hm, she's really curvaceous, though. You've got a really big catch this time."

"Congrats, Kaga-chin."

That was Kise, Aomine and Murasakibara commenting on Kagami's performance just now.

"Kagamin, how old is Tsuruko-chan?" Momoi asked.

"Well, she's seventeen this year."

"Oh? So you like older girls?" Midorima asked.

"Eh? Ah, I don't really mind the age…"

"Is that so…" Midorima's voice trailed off as he pushed his spectacles up his nose. Kise seized the opportunity, "Ah, that's right, Midorimacchi, you once said that you prefer older girls, didn't you?"

Midorima got shocked by how he got the information, "Eh?! S-Since when did I say that?! I-It's not like I actually want a girlfriend at this age…"

"Ahaha! You really _are_ a tsundere!"

"S-Shut up, idiot!"

One by one, the Generation of Miracles joined the bickering.

Except for Kuroko, though, who was sipping his vanilla shake silently. He was still thinking about why Akashi had said that.

_"If anything happens, don't be rash."_

What did he mean?

 


	3. Chapter 3

It was the day before Valentine's Day.

Kagami had been waiting for this for what seemed like ages.

Lessons had ended for the day and Kagami was about to rush home to make chocolates for the next day. Kuroko offered, "Kagami-kun, are you sure you don't need help? I can go to your house to make sure."

However, Kagami refused, "No, it's fine. I don't wanna trouble you any further. Go home and rest, okay?"

Kuroko nodded and went home first.

* * *

An hour later, at Kagami's house.

Apparently, he had just put the chocolate into the freezer. He was pretty pleased with himself, to say the least. He was sure it would turn out successful.

He _really_ could not wait for Valentine's Day any longer.

* * *

Fortunately, Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday that year and Kagami got to sleep in just a tad more before he actually got down to business.

A couple of days ago, he arranged with Tsuruko that they would be going to the beach on Valentine's Day via text message.

Kagami chose the beach because he thought it would be romantic, and the sun would still be half-awake before noon, so it would not be so hot.

They met at a bus stop near Maji Burger first, before they went to the beach together.

Kagami did not bring much, just a bottle of sunscreen, water bottle, and whatever he needs to survive at the beach. Of course, not forgetting his precious Valentine's Day gifts, which he kept in a small cooler bag. The chocolates only, that is.

When they reached the beach, both were delighted to find that it was not that crowded and they got quite a big empty space to themselves.

They went swimming first, and Kagami nearly got a nosebleed from looking at Tsuruko's bikini. It was bright cyan with little flowery patterns on it.

They raced a little every now and then, but Tsuruko won all of them, proving to Kagami that she was faster in water.

After they were done racing, Kagami, in an attempt to tease Tsuruko, splashed water at her when they were about to come out to shore. "Hey!" Tsuruko laughed and threw an attack back, causing Kagami to back away a little. Back and forth, they tried to attain victory.

Tsuruko then went in for close combat, pouncing on Kagami out of the blue and pushing him into the water. However, Kagami was not done yet. Underwater, he grabbed Tsuruko and pulled her down, making them even.

When they broke through the surface of the water, they were gasping for air and laughing at each other.

"There's still time," Tsuruko reached into her bag after they sat down to rest. "Hehee… I brought pails, so let's make sandcastles!"

Kagami could have sworn he saw the cutest little girl in Tsuruko when she mentioned about building sandcastles. Ah, how much he wanted to hug her tight and tell her that she was just simply adorable.

An hour later, at around half past eleven, they managed to build quite a nice big sandcastle, with windows and a door and even a small moat around it.

"Whew! That was tiring, but the fruits of our efforts can be seen! Haha!" Tsuruko said.

"Why don't we take a picture together? With our sandcastle," Kagami suggested. _Our sandcastle_ , Kagami thought, really happy that he got to say something like that.

Of course, they did, and Kagami sent the photo to Tsuruko via text message.

Soon, it was time to go. They could not bear to destroy the sandcastle so they left it there, standing in all it's glory.

However, Kagami suddenly remembered what he had prepared to do since last week and stopped Tsuruko for a moment.

"T-Tanaka-san, um…" He pulled out the chocolates from the cooler bag and the hamburger keychain which was in a box wrapped with pink wrapping paper.

He handed them over shyly, like a male penguin giving his crush the nicest pebble he could find. Well, because that's what they really do.

"Here, t-this is for you… Happy Valentine's Day, Tanaka-san," Kagami tried flashing his most charming smile sheepishly.

Tsuruko was surprised at first then blushed a little, "Ah, thank you, Kagami-kun. Sorry I didn't prepare anything." Of course, Kagami did not mind at all, all he wanted was his feelings to reach her.

Tsuruko took her presents and Kagami could feel his heart fluttering.

"Um, Kagami-kun..." She started to say, somewhat afraid. Kagami looked at her with a questioning look, "What's wrong?"

When she spoke once more, Kagami could sense that her voice was trembling slightly.

"A-Actually, I..."

* * *

Kagami slammed the door behind him as he threw his bag onto the floor of his house. He did not know what he was feeling, sad or angry. Or just simply disappointed.

He slumped back on his couch, looking blankly at the white ceiling above him.

_What is he going to do now?_

He was motionless for a moment or two then he fished out his cellphone from his back pocket and called Kuroko.

It rang twice before he answered.

"Hello?"

Kagami did not reply, but felt somewhat relieved to hear the familiar voice.

"Hello?" He repeated.

"Kuroko," Kagami finally greeted. "I'm sorry but… Can you come over to my house now?" Kagami was still looking at the milky ceiling, which was starting to remind him of vanilla shakes.

"Sure," then Kuroko hung up.

Kagami put down the phone and waited in silence.

Kuroko was fast, he was probably in the vicinity when Kagami called.

Kuroko rang the bell but Kagami did not bother, since the door wasn't locked. Kuroko then opened the door slowly and stepped in.

"What's wrong, Kagami-kun?" Kuroko sat down beside the sprawled out Kagami on the couch.

"Say… Have you ever confessed to a girl before?" Kagami did not look at him.

"Eh?"

"Kuroko… What should I do?" Kagami made eye contact. "Tanaka-san… She, she already has a boyfriend…"

Kuroko was shocked. Not just the _shocked_ kind of shocked, but more of the _worry_ kind of shocked. "Then wh-"

"I don't _know_ , Kuroko!" Kuroko was taken aback by Kagami's expression. It was not just sad. It was disappointment, anger, frustration. Kuroko had never seen that kind of expression appear on his face before and he felt a tinge of fear.

Kuroko did not dare say anything back and just kept quiet.

Kagami did not say anything either.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Kuroko finally opened his mouth.

"When I gave her the presents, she told me that she already had a boyfriend. But because she didn't want to hurt me," Kagami started. "She kept quiet first, and decided to wait for a suitable time to say it. She said that her boyfriend was overseas currently for studies and would come back soon."

"Then I asked her if we can still at least be friends and that we can keep in touch," Kagami continued. "Of course, she agreed."

"Kuroko, I… But I can't stop thinking about her… What should I do?"

Kuroko looked at Kagami, quiet, feeling pretty guilty he could not come up with a suitable answer.

"I… Argh!" Kagami ruffled his hair with both hands.

"Then what are you going to do now?" Kuroko chose his words carefully.

"I don't know… I'll just try to stay as friends with her," Kagami responded.

Kuroko hesitated as he said, "But, if you keep doing this, you'll hurt yourself, wouldn't it? You really love her."

"I don't know anymore, Kuroko… I just don't want to lose her yet."

Kuroko tried to get it into his head, "Kagami-kun, she already has a boyfriend…"

"I know! But you can't just… Tell me to stop loving her. That's _impossible_." Kuroko flinched a little upon hearing the word _impossible_ coming from Kagami.

Kagami's phone suddenly chimed a little and he fished it out, reading a text message. Kuroko peered over and realized it was from Tsuruko.

_"I'm really sorry, Kagami-kun… But don't worry, my boyfriend is pretty understanding, I'm sure he wouldn't mind us spending time together. We're still friends, right?"_ Having read the message, however, Kagami did not look relieved at all.

Kuroko could feel worry build up in his heart.

He typed, _"It's fine, don't need to worry about me, Tanaka-san. And yes, we're still friends, so let's keep in touch for now, since the examinations are coming up for me and I don't think I have time to play basketball."_ And sent.

Tsuruko replied back fast, _"Yes, of course, sure, let's keep in touch for now."_

Kuroko was still looking on, while Kagami did not even notice Kuroko doing that.

_Like he wasn't even there._

The topic of the conversation between them changed quickly as they continued texting each other and a smile could be seen gradually growing wider across his face.

Kuroko still kept quiet. He was in a dilemma, not knowing whether should he go back home or stay here, _alone_.

Kagami suddenly looked up and told Kuroko, "Ah, I'm sorry I took up your time, it seems like I'm better now. Sorry, you can go."

Kuroko stared at Kagami for a little while, then left promptly, muttering a soft "Bye."

He closed the door behind him and walked with his head down. Before he could take more than a couple of steps, he banged into someone.

"Sorry…" He mumbled and looked up.

It was Akashi.

"Hm? Tetsuya? What's wrong?" He came closer and tilted his chin up a little bit to meet his eyes.

"It's nothing," Kuroko took a step back.

"You're obviously lying. Your eyes told me that."

He knew nothing could escape Akashi.

Akashi looked up at the apartment.

"Kagami's house?"

When Kuroko was silent, he knew he had hit the bulls-eye.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"I'm not."

Silence.

"Everything's going to be fine, Tetsuya. Don't worry," Akashi had hesitated for a moment.

Kuroko felt that Akashi didn't meant it.

"Mm…" Kuroko hummed back, feeling helpless.

"Sorry. I'm not sure how I should help you. But if I have to say something, it would be something along the lines of not expecting too much," Akashi told him and patted his head before going off.

Kuroko did not look back at Akashi and just walked off.

* * *

It was Monday again and lessons had just ended.

Kuroko was dozing off once again.

When he opened his eyes, Kagami wasn't there anymore. He did not even inform him or leave a note behind.

_Ah, the exams are coming, aren't they… Maybe he went back to study first_ , Kuroko thought.

Or maybe _hoped_.

He stood up and left the school compound where he saw Kagami leaning against the wall outside with his cellphone pressed to his ear, smiling.

Kagami did not notice him.

Kuroko wanted to call out to him or just tap his shoulder to tell him that he would be going first, but decided not to disturb his happy time.

He moved a little closer and eavesdropped a little.

He could not hear much, but he could hear the same name a couple of times, "Tanaka-san, Tanaka-san".

He _tried_ not to say anything nor show any expression on his face as he walked away, away from his closest friend.

However… _Disappointment._

* * *

The next day was the last day of basketball practice before it temporarily stands down for the upcoming examinations.

Riko had tripled the intensity of the training and the guys were almost half-dead by the second break.

"Hey, guys, did something happen to Kuroko? He seems quieter than usual today," Riko asked when Kuroko went out to take a breath of fresh air while Kagami went out to refill his water bottle.

"Well, I noticed that Kagami and Kuroko haven't been talking much recently," Koganei piped up. "Really? I didn't notice," Hyuuga joined in while Mitobe nodded in agreement with Koganei.

Riko thought for a while and said, "Something must've happened... Try not to ask him anything, okay, guys?" Everyone nodded as Kuroko walked in, feeling slightly more alive now.

After practice had ended, everyone was on the verge of death.

"I'll be going first then, see you tomorrow!" Kagami went ahead, leaving Kuroko to pack up his things and follow the others instead.

On the way home, all of them were dead quiet as awkwardness ensued.

"Eh…" Koganei fought the silence but to no avail. "The examinations are coming up, right? I wonder how Kagami's doing…"

The rest of the boys, including Riko, nearly wanted to push him in front of a speeding truck for saying such a thing out loud. _Does he not know that Kuroko's here?!_ They thought.

Kuroko did not look at Koganei as he replied, "I'm not sure…" For once, everyone could sense his emotions overflowing just from those three words.

Kuroko stared at the ground, looking at his senpais' feet as they walked.

Bit by bit, he was starting to understand why Akashi had said that…

And his heart ached... _With_ _frustration._

 


	4. Chapter 4

The examinations were finally over, and Kuroko forgot the last time he had an actual conversation with Kagami.

_"Kagami-kun," Kuroko finally mustered the courage to talk to him. "Are you... still thinking about Tanaka-san?"_

It was the day before the examinations and Kuroko knew he should not ask Kagami on that day, since he knew his answer would affect him later on and even cause him to lose focus.

"Yeah, _why?" He said it like it wasn't a big deal and Kuroko felt an urge to punch him_ and _himself in the face._

_"I see... It's nothing. But I was just wondering, the examinations are coming up, so maybe, maybe you should not talk to her that much..." Kuroko's voice trailed off._

_"It's going to be fine, Kuroko! I studied a lot this time, so you don't need to worry about it." Kuroko could only feel more worried. He expected Kagami to laugh at his worried face and tell him that he really_ did _study a lot this time and would_ actually _reduce the time that he spends talking to Tsuruko, but just looking at Kagami's face told him :_ Nope. I'm not gonna do that. _  
_

There was basketball practice that day so Kuroko disappeared first to the canteen to leave Kagami moping around in his seat, clearly regretting that he had not studied hard enough.

When Kuroko came back to class with two chocolate bread in hand, he found Kagami sleeping with his head buried in his arms, snoring softly. He walked over silently and placed both chocolate bread on his table before taking his bag and jogging down to the gymnasium where practice was going to start.

During practice, Riko had assigned them teams to have a practice match.

While playing, all kinds of thoughts flew around in Kuroko's head against his will.

_He clearly did not study._

_He was probably up all night talking to her._

_But doesn't she have a boyfriend? Why is he spending so much time with her?_

_Could it be that the 'boyfriend' thing was just an excuse to reject Kagami? But wouldn't Kagami find out? How come?_

_How come?_

_Why?_

_Help..._

**Desolation.**

"Kuroko!" Izuki had passed the ball to Kuroko who was daydreaming. However, before Kuroko could react, Hyuuga on the other team had stolen the ball and scored, throwing Kuroko's team off balance once more.

"I'm really sorry..." Kuroko mumbled an apology to his teammates.

"Don't think about the examinations too much, they're over already," Hyuuga said. "Let bygones be bygones."

_Let_ _bygones be bygones._

_Is he able to do that, if he ever loses Kagami?_

**Disquietude.**

Another pass came and Kuroko managed to pass it, but it was almost aimed at the opposing team.

_Ah... What am I doing? I should at least... focus during practice. Another friendly match is coming up..._

However, no matter how hard he tried to push the thoughts into a dark corner of his mind, he couldn't.

_He wasn't strong enough._

Riko blew the whistle and allowed them to have a ten minutes break. "Where's Kagami-kun?" She asked while the boys hydrated themselves.

"He's going to be late today," Kuroko replied, suddenly appearing beside her and nearly giving her a heart attack. "He probably... Stayed up late last night."

Kuroko sat down and gulped down a mouthful of water before he said, "But he'll be coming soon." He was not very sure of that fact, however.

_I probably just wanted to comfort and assure myself._

"Okay, guys! Time for the second half!" Riko commanded and everyone got up like zombies who drank too much caffeine.

The second half was rendered worse by Kuroko. He could not concentrate anymore, he was about to fall off the cliff called _sanity._

Kuroko could not even handle passes anymore, he either lost the ball or passed to the wrong person. At the next break, Riko called Kuroko over to talk to him privately.

"Kuroko-kun, are you okay? Do you mind telling me what happened between you and Kagami-kun?"

Kuroko could only maintain eye contact for a second or two before he looked away, muttering a soft "Nothing".

_No..._

_Stop._

_Don't ask me about him._

_The thoughts are going to come flooding back again..._

_No. No, stop._

When they went back onto the court, Kuroko could hardly walk.

The emotions and thoughts were weighing down on him, even physically.

He felt like slipping into a deep slumber.

_And never waking up again._

Still panting, Kuroko forced himself to engulf himself in the game, so that he could at least keep his mind off of Kagami for a while.

_At least, before he comes to practice._

However, as the game progresses, he found himself unable to escape from the fact that he was all _alone,_ in a room full of people.

Without Kagami, he was like an empty vessel floating along the vicious waves of _loneliness,_ trying his best to reach the shore.

_He wanted Kagami._

_He wanted him to talk to him about basketball again. He wanted him to comment on him about dozing off in class and not getting caught because of his "annoying misdirection". He wanted to play basketball with him again at the same old worn out court and then go to Maji Burger to eat dinner together.  
_

_He wanted the_ old _Kagami. He missed him.  
_

_So much._

_But..._

**Hollow.**

"Woah!" Izuki barely managed to catch Kuroko's sudden ignite pass, almost losing the ball due to the force. After he scored, his team went back to defend except Kuroko, who did not budge from his spot, his hand which had made the ignite pass was trembling.

"Hey, Kuroko, defend!" Riko shouted but then kept quiet almost immediately after that.

The match came to a standstill.

Everyone knew something was wrong, right from the start, in fact.

"Ku... Kuroko...?" Kiyoshi went closer. "What's wr-"

One. Two. Three. Tears.

They came flowing out slowly subconsciously as Kuroko frantically tried to wipe his stray tears away.

_Ah, they escaped..._

_Why won't they stop?_

"Kuroko, ar-"

"I'm fine!" That was almost a yell.

Upon realizing what he had just did, he looked away and gritted his teeth in frustration.

_Please stop._

_Just stop coming out... I'm_ begging _you._

Trying not to choke on his tears when he spoke again, he turned around and headed for the door, excusing himself, "I'm sorry, I need some air."

He pushed open the door and started to run.

However, when he opened the door, someone jerked back swiftly at the sudden swing of it but Kuroko did not look up or apologize.

Before he could take a step past him, that same person grabbed his wrist firmly.

"Hey Kuroko, what's wrong?" The familiar voice struck him like a bolt of lightning and his heart pounded against his ribcage.

He did not look up to meet his scarlet eyes as he commanded - nothing more than a harsh whisper - rigidly, "Let go."

Of course, Kagami did not oblige and just tightened his grip.

Kuroko tried to break free but to no avail.

_He had had enough._

**Anger.**

He snapped, looking straight into his eyes, "I said. Let. Go."

Kagami wanted to protest, to shake him to see what was wrong, but one look at his face which was - it was pretty obvious - a tad stained with tears told him that he should just obey.

Taken aback, he let go of him, setting him free.

Riko and the others came tumbling over to the entrance but none of them took a step out as they watched in silence at Kuroko running off.

Kagami was dumbfounded, "Coach, what ha-"

He barely had the chance to finish his sentence when Riko interrupted, "Go chase him, Kagami-kun! Hurry, before it's too late!"

"Hah?! What are you talking about?"

But Kagami knew what she was talking about and the question only sounded hollow.

"Just!"

The boys behind her nodded in agreement.

He knew he could not ask any further and whipped around.

* * *

Kuroko did not know where he wanted to run to or where he was going to run to, but he just ran.

_Anywhere, as long as he is running._

The wrist which Kagami had grabbed onto earlier was burning up and Kuroko felt like clawing at it.

Rushing past a few students every now and then, Kuroko hung his head low, unwilling to let anyone see his face.

After a while, he could hear heavy footsteps behind him, hitting the floor faster than his.

He was almost out of breath.

However, he did not want to stop. He did not want to get caught up in those disgusting thoughts and emotions of his again. He knew that if he were to stop right there and then, he would lose.

_Kagami-kun, why did you come after me?_

_You shouldn't have._

_No... that's not what I meant._

_Thank you for coming after me._

_Thanks…_

**Assuagement.**

The footsteps were getting louder and louder.

_Almost there…_

He was about to turn the corner and sprint up the stairs when Kagami caught up and halted him.

Kagami had grabbed the same wrist and Kuroko felt like biting his hand.

"Oi, stop running," Kagami said breathlessly.

Their pants reverberated through the empty flights of stairs, filling their ears.

"Wha- Are yo-" Kagami tried to squeeze out the appropriate question between pants but he just could not. The way Kuroko looked at him earlier, the way he stared deep into his soul terrorized him.

Kuroko did not look at Kagami, straining his neck a little.

After Kuroko caught his breath, he said, "Please let go of me."

Kagami was shocked that that was the first thing to come out of his mouth.

"No, I refuse."

"… Why?"

Kagami hesitated, unable to look for an answer.

"I-I don't know… I just can't bring myself to."

After he had said that, then he knew why.

He knew that if he were to let go now, everything would disintegrate and disappear without a trace.

_Everything._

"I won't run anymore, so please let go of me," Kuroko repeated.

Kagami then willingly let go and Kuroko did not budge.

"Kuroko," Kagami took a step up. "What happened?"

Kuroko clenched his fist, swallowing the second round of tears back.

"Kuroko, what ha-" He repeated.

"You _jolly_ well know what happened!" Kuroko suddenly yelled. Kagami let out an "eh" from the sudden shriek.

It was the first time he had seen Kuroko lose his cool, after the match against Kirisaki Daichi.

_He had never wanted to see such an expression on his face._

Kuroko looked away and asked him, now a soft whisper, "You didn't study, did you?"

Kagami flinched a little and replied, "I-I did, I really did." He then realized the desperation in his voice had given him away.

"You were up all night talking to Tanaka-san, weren't you?" Kuroko wanted to slap himself so hard. He did not want to let Kagami know that he was actually this possessive of him.

Now he would just seem like a really jealous girlfriend in front of Kagami.

"Tsuruko-chan has nothing to d-" Kagami stopped mid-sentence.

_Tsuruko-chan._

_Arghh! What did I just say?!_ Kagami screamed at himself.

That was the last thing Kuroko had wanted to hear and he knew that. How he wished he could turn back time.

He looked at Kuroko, expecting to see his expression twitch a little.

Kuroko's expression did not change but the pain in his eyes was visible and Kagami felt like hanging himself.

Kagami still thought of Kuroko as a really precious friend and he does not want to lose him in any possible way.

"Then why?" Kuroko asked, as if he had read his mind.

Kagami wanted to take a step back but suddenly remembered that he couldn't.

He _mustn't_ , in fact.

Kagami just kept quiet.

"You still love her…" Kuroko said to no one in particular, tears starting to well up in his aqua blue eyes.

"Kuroko, please don't be like this…" Kagami felt completely out of character and there was discomfort rising in him.

"How can I not be like this… When, when everything is…" Kuroko tried to yell but his energy got drained away as if on cue.

"Kur-"

"Do you know how long it has been?"

Kagami dare not say anything back.

"It's only been about two weeks… But to me, it felt like two years!" Kuroko paused to wipe his tears which had fallen. "Everyday, I see you talking to her on the phone… Sometimes, when I walk past Maji Burger, I even see you playing basketball with her…

"And I thought you said you had no time!"

"I can ex-"

"You can't!" Kuroko's words hit him like a hammer.

Right on the spot.

Kuroko's tears were streaming down now, and onto the concrete floor.

"I… I missed you," it was just a breath and Kuroko tried to push back another round of salty tidal waves that came attacking once more.

Kagami instinctively backed away a little and could feel his heart ache, literally.

_Man, I'm terrible._

_What the heck was I even doing for the past two weeks? It felt so… Empty and pointless._

"Kuroko, I…" He wanted to apologize so badly but he knew that a mere apology would never suffice.

Kuroko turned around and started to walk up, which was about to become a jog, _he didn't want to hear it._

Kagami grabbed him on instinct. He did not want to let go of him anymore.

However, he underestimated his strength and accidentally pulled too hard. Kuroko missed a step and began falling… Falling into Kagami's arms.

"Ah, s-sorry, Kuroko! Are you okay?" Kagami held him tightly even though he is feather light.

Kuroko did not say anything and he did not try to squirm out of his arms.

"I'm tired, Kagami-kun…" He muttered just loud enough for him to hear. "I didn't sleep well for the past two weeks… I was… So frustrated." Kuroko choked on his tears as they escaped.

His tears were coming non-stop now, since he had no more strength left.

He had used up all his strength not just from running, but from running _away_ from his true feelings, his tears, his thoughts that were clearly pulling him down.

He was tired.

Tired from all the neglecting and ignoring of his feelings.

He was sick of it. He was exhausted. He needed a rest, a peace of mind.

The only person that could grant his wish was Kagami.

_He only wanted Kagami to…_

Kagami slowly turned him around to face him and looked straight into his half-closed eyes that were looking down, "Kuroko, listen to me..."

Kuroko pushed him away, but Kagami stood firm this time.

"Kuroko!"

He pushed harder.

"Ku- Listen to me! Stop running away!" Kagami held him tight.

Upon hearing those words, he stopped struggling and obliged, but still keeping his eyes low.

"Look at me," Kagami told him, bending lower now, trying to meet his sorrowful eyes. "Listen..."

"I don't want to hea-"

"I said stop running away!" Kagami tightened his grip and Kuroko could feel more tears welling up again, probably from the pain as well.

"Running away... from what?" Kuroko said.

Kagami looked at him, keeping quiet for a while before replying, "You know what, don't you? ... Your feelings."

Pin-drop silence followed.

_Silence is consent._

Kagami then said, breaking the stiff silence, "Those feelings of yours, I a-"

Kuroko stopped him mid-sentence by planting a small kiss on his lips.

Kagami's eyes widened, looking at Kuroko's pale tear-stricken face.

Kuroko pulled away and licked his lips.

_Mm... Chocolate..._ He subconsciously thought to himself.

A shocked Kagami blushed and looked away, still recovering from what had just happened.

"Kuroko..." He mumbled.

_Why?_ He wanted to ask.

"So, what were you saying about my feelings?" To Kuroko, it was as if nothing had happened. He had calmed down a lot by now and could speak normally.

_I only wanted Kagami-kun to apologize with all his heart._

_Ahh… Now that I think about it, I'm pretty selfish._

_Sorry, Kagami-kun._

_Sorry._

The redhead was more shocked now upon realizing that Kuroko thought that the kiss was nothing more than just a _kiss_.

But that was his first kiss!

Well, maybe Kuroko thought the kiss was something special too, but he did not show it, like how he is usually like.

Hopefully, that was the case, Kagami thought.

He wasn't sure whether the same goes for Kuroko, but he was absolutely sure Kuroko had no kissing experience.

"A-About your feelings… I… I know them very well… But hey, that's not the point here!" Kagami reverted back to the main topic. "Look, I'm really _really_ sorry I neglected you because of Tanaka-san. I… I couldn't control my own feelings for her, so I… I screwed up, okay?" Kagami was stuttering and fidgeting around.

"I'm sorry… I'm never good at expressing myself…" Kagami looked down at his feet shyly, absent-mindedly scratching the back of his head.

Kuroko did not reply, and just looked at Kagami, which was a clear signal that told him that it was okay to continue.

"Is there anything I can do to make up for it?" Kagami asked, this time making firm eye contact and Kuroko could sense the sincerity from his scarlet eyes. "I-I would do anything!"

"Anything?" Kuroko asked.

"Anything," Kagami nodded in return.

"… Actions speak louder than words," was all Kuroko said while a small smile could not help but pull at the corners of his lips.

Kagami did not ask what kind of actions Kuroko wanted him to carry out and just executed the first thing that came to his mind straight away on the spot. Kuroko did not tell him what to do either, since they knew what each other wanted.

Kagami pulled Kuroko's small frame closer to him by the waist and kissed him on the lips, slightly harder than the first one they exchanged.

They pulled away for a second before going back for another. This time, it was more passionate, full of love, and lasted longer.

The sweetness of chocolate filled Kuroko's mouth, making him smile.

When they pulled away, Kagami was tomato red and his hands were by his side now, pinching and poking at his pants playfully and nervously.

"You're… Not such a good kisser," Kuroko commented.

Kagami went, "Ah?! I could say the same to you!"

"Your lips were trembling and I could barely kiss it properly." Before Kagami could retaliate while his face grew redder, Kuroko continued, "and you were hesitating a lot too."

"Wha- I-I'm just shy, okay?! I-I've never kissed a guy before!"

Kuroko chuckled and Kagami heard an angel singing: daintily, delicately, _holy._

It was Kagami's first time hearing Kuroko laughing.

_Argh, he's so sweet and precious…_ Kagami buried his head in his hands.

"Anyway, I'll talk to Tanaka-san about this so…" Kagami fished out his cellphone and called Tsuruko but Kuroko told him that it was fine.

Kagami waved it off and insisted.

Kagami told Tsuruko that he was sorry he would not play basketball with her anymore and that he had found "someone precious" and that he was sorry - again - if he had been an annoying prick to her; always clinging to her.

Tsuruko was not angry at him at all, to say the least. Moreover, she was very supportive of Kagami and his "precious someone", "Ohh, it's alright! I don't mind at all. Now go spend some time with your 'precious someone', haha!"

Kagami smiled and thanked her for being understanding before hanging up.

"Baka. You shouldn't have done that," Kuroko said.

"Eh?! It's my fault now?!"

Kuroko smiled, sighing, and hugged Kagami gently, like a little lamb clinging to its mother, "Thank you."

Kagami blushed unknowingly and held him closer, feeling the warmth he thought he would lose wrap itself around him.

* * *

As they walked back, Kagami fumbled with his cellphone.

"What's the matter, Kagami-kun?"

"Oh, nothing much. I'm just deleting some photos."

"Photos of you and Tanaka-san?"

"Of course. It'll be unfaithful if I don't, right?" Kagami patted Kuroko's head, grinning.

Kuroko smiled - he forgotten the last time he had smiled so much in one day - and said teasingly, "Bakagami."

 


End file.
